


Exploring an Us

by Minxie



Series: Harry/Ron [2]
Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: KINK: D/s, M/M, REPOST (2006)
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-01-15
Updated: 2013-01-15
Packaged: 2017-11-25 15:13:11
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,056
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/640199
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Minxie/pseuds/Minxie
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Harry and Ron explore the possibilities of more than friendship.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Exploring an Us

**Author's Note:**

> Beta: Jadzia7667

Waiting for Harry to say something, say anything, Ron sucked in breath after breath and willed his heart rate to slow down. He could feel Harry’s gaze on him, burning him as if the other man was looking directly into his heart. Yet, through it all, Ron did as he’d been trained. He held his position; hands resting on his thighs, his back straight, and his head held high with eyes cast down in submission.

“Look at me, Ron,” Harry said quietly. Ron focused his eyes in front of him and slowly dragged them up the leather-clad legs. Harry hadn’t said ‘get up, Ron’ or ‘get out, Ron’. The door was still open. “This changes everything.”

“I hope so,” Ron replied honestly.

Harry circled around Ron, slowly taking in the bare chest and nipple ring catching in the light. Reaching out he flicked the gold hoop, sending a shiver through quiet redhead. “When the sodding hell did you get this?” Harry asked as he tugged once before letting the cold metal fall back.

“A year ago. My former Master…” Ron let the words fall off. He didn’t know if Harry wanted to hear about the man who’d trained him. 

“Get up, Ron. We need to go somewhere and talk this out.” The words were friendly. The tone dictated a command. “And for the love of Merlin, put a damn shirt on.”

Ron easily got to his feet; the polish in both the rise and the fall spoke volumes about his training. He watched Harry’s eyes widen in surprise then flash an eerie dark green, jealousy flitting across the face.

Well. That had to be a good sign, right? Jealousy had to mean that Harry was interested, right? Right. Keeping the positive thoughts, Ron said, “I don’t have a shirt.” He remembered to bite back the ‘Master’ at the last second. “I can just wear my jacket, it’s behind the bar.”

Harry waved his hand carelessly towards the bedside table. One of the bar’s matchbooks transfigured into a plain white shirt. “Put it on, Ron.”

Ron grabbed the shirt, slipping it over his head, and smirked. The shirt was tight, pressing against his chest and abdomen like a second skin. The outline of his body jewelry was easily visibly through the thin fabric. Harry seemed a bit taken with the adornment. At least the way that he kept glancing at the small hoop implied he was. “Ready when you are, Harry.”

Together they made their way through the dancing people to the front door, stopping to pick up Ron’s jacket along the way. In the same reserved voice he’d used since Draco left, Harry said, “Side along, Ron. There’s an all night diner I know.”

Ron stepped into Harry’s embrace, moving closer than he’d ever dared before. Harry’s scent surrounded him, raising his heart rate with the contact, as they Apparated away.

Landing gently in a dark alleyway, Ron stepped back quickly. He wanted to touch and to taste. Now wasn’t the time. His mother’s words reverberated in his head, _Start as you mean to go_. Hell, he already did that by offering Harry earnest respect on his knees in club surrounded by Muggles. No reason to turn back now and start throwing himself at Harry. At least not more than he had already.

Ron quietly followed Harry through the open door and to a private table in the back watching, trying to read his friends body language. Harry’s back was ramrod stiff with his head held high. His eyes, though, were shuttered; the normal bright green was dulled to a darker, more contemplative color.

They sat on opposite sides of the table, neither taking the first step in this new maze of feelings. Tension filled the air around them as the waiter took their orders. Silently they waited for his return, both stealing glances across the table.

As soon as the waiter had delivered their orders, Harry looked and Ron intently. “Why, Ron?”

Ron choked on his fizzy drink and spluttered, “Ever hear of starting with the easy questions, mate?”

Harry flashed a positively wicked grin before retorting, “Ever hear of not going into supplication in the middle of a bar?” Ron shrugged his shoulders. It seemed like a good idea at the time; and, if it got them to this point, he’d have to stand by the decision. “Seriously, Ron, why?”

“The time seemed right. I finally got my courage up.” He knew the question Harry was asking. Plunging in head first he said, “It wasn’t Malfoy, Harry.”

Some of the tension in Harry’s stance bled away. Gracing Ron with a hard, probative look, Harry asked, “You’re sure? Seems a bit too coincidental to me.”

“It wasn’t Malfoy. It was seeing you…” Ron let the words fade away. “Bloody hell. Look, I’ve thought about you for a while now. It did something to me, seeing you tonight fulfilling the role I’d given you in my mind.” Ron shook his head, trying to dislodge the picture Harry had painted earlier. As the silence pulled longer, Ron looked to Harry. The dark eyebrows were knitted in doubt. “Harry, look at me please.” Waiting until he had Harry’s full attention, he said, “Look inside me, I know you can.”

Harry nodded, the only warning he gave that he was taking his friend up on the offer. Ron felt Harry’s magic seeping into his head. Tentatively, softly, Ron’s memories came flashing forward. Memories of the war, his thoughts when he first saw Harry with Malfoy, and memories of his past dreams flowed between the two of them. Gently Harry released the spell and heavily sat back against the seat. “It was that, Harry.” Ron chanced a look, wary about what he would find in Harry’s eyes. “Not Malfoy.”

Relief. That was the only word for the emotion that filtered across Harry’s face. Pure relief. “You’re sure?”

Ron nodded enthusiastically. “I guess we have more to talk about. I was afraid that you…” Harry waved his hand between them as he let words fade.

“Because of Malfoy?” Ron asked. “Not hardly, mate. I mean if everything had sounded like you were happy, I would have just left.”

Harry arched a brow in question. Ron had never been the type to stay silent about what he wanted or thought. “Even though you obviously have thought about it being more?”

Ron snorted in self-deprecation. “Yeah, even though.” Ron spun his glass in lazy circles, forming more words in his head. Sighing, he added, “I’ve only wanted you to be happy. I would like it to be me that made you happy. But, if I can’t have both, I’d rather you be happy.” Ron snatched his sandwich up; needing to fill his mouth before anymore sap ran out uncontrolled. “Lets eat, mate.”

Throughout the meal Ron kept catching Harry looking him. Of course he knew he was being caught out just as much as he was catching Harry. Ron didn’t say anything, just sat and watched the changing emotions filtering across Harry’s face. Confusion. Wonder. Lust. The redheaded wizard knew if Harry didn’t say something soon, he would need a stomach potion before he finished his crisps.

Just as Ron was about to get up, about to leave the tense table, Harry started speaking softly. “I used to watch you. During the war, on those missions we out on, I would watch you and then berate myself.”

Ron slowly reached a hand out towards Harry, offering the comfort of a silent touch. “My turn to know why, Harry. Why did you watch me? Why did you berate yourself?”

Wrapping his fingers in the calloused hand, Harry said, “You were my best friend, I wasn’t supposed to be attracted to you. You were Hermione’s; not meant to be mine.” That Ron could easily understand. Everyone expected it to be him and Hermione, just as they expected Harry to settle down with Ginny. Then, after Harry had smote the Dark Lord, some of those expectations were crushed when Harry came out to the wizarding world. Simultaneously, Harry had inadvertently opened the door to more fantasies for Ron.

Now it seemed that he might have a shot at some of those fantasies. Thanking every deity he could think of, Ron pulled his wandering thoughts back to Harry.

Harry dragged a hand through his hair and sighed deeply. “Are you willing to risk everything for a chance?”

“Is it really a risk?” Ron’s heart was pounding in his ears. Now, sitting hear and talking about a relationship with Harry, he was scared. Scared of failure, scared of placing a strain on their friendship. Scared of losing Harry completely. “Or is it something that has been lurking in the background and now we’re ready for it to come out?”

Harry shook his head and snorted. “When did you get so insightful?”

Ron grinned. Harry was sounding more like Harry as every second passed. Back on familiar footing, Ron said, “I blame the Ministry. They didn’t appreciate my youthful wit.”

Harry ignored the jibe, choosing instead to concentrate on the intricacy of this new possibility. “We’d have to take things slow, make sure it’s what we both want in **all** ways.” Ron nodded his acceptance. Before he could reply, Harry added, “We have a lot to talk out. Decisions need to be made before this goes much deeper.”

“Harry,” Ron interrupted, “I just want to know if this is something you want? You have to want it just as much as I do. I have to know, Harry. Know if there could be…”

Harry held up his hand, silencing Ron with the gesture. He agreed with his friend; they both had to want it for it to work. He wasn’t idiot enough to try and deny the fact that he’d been attracted to Ron; Harry had wondered about them being together and then discarded the notion. He’d moved on, finding comfort and release with others. Thinking about it, though, he realized he’d never given up the dream.

Ron, dropping to his knees earlier tonight, had brought all of the desires crashing back around him. He was relieved that Ron had waited to reveal his interest and feelings, waited until both of them was older and more knowledgeable of what they wanted in a relationship. They just had to be honest in their wants and needs from the very beginning. This could work.

“We wouldn’t have a traditional relationship. Aside from our predilections, I am the Boy Who Lived,” Harry blushed lightly, never expecting to have _this_ conversation with Ron. “You would be back in the spotlight after our first foray into the wizarding world. It would eliminate many aspects of being an Auror; your family would be brought into it. Are you ready for that?”

“I’ve been your best mate since we were eleven, Harry,” Ron said with exasperation. “I know full well the wizarding world sees you, and everyone you’re tied to, as their property.” Ron felt his temper rising. He’d never been good at all these extras to a relationship. The press, his job, the outsiders would all sort themselves out or they could, quite frankly, sod the hell off. “As long as it’s what we both want I can handle the rest.”

Harry shook his head. He didn’t understand what he was fighting this for. Ron, the thing he’d miss most, had offered him the one thing he thought he couldn’t have. He was being an arse. With a tender look, Harry said, “Okay then.”

Okay then? What the hell did that mean? “Okay then?”

Harry smirked at his flummoxed friend. Raising their joined hands to his lips, Harry brushed a soft kiss over them, “I’ve thought about it before, Ron. About building a life, a family, with you.” Harry quirked a small grin, “You’ve obviously thought about it, too.”

Ron quietly gave agreement to that statement. He’d thought about it more than he’d willingly admit to. When no protests came, Harry added, “I want to explore this, explore us.”

Ron blushed deep red, embarrassed for a reason he couldn’t fathom. “Yeah. Okay,” he stammered out. Focusing on their joined hands, he shuddered with a mix of anticipation and nerves. With a crooked grin, he added a more confident sounding, “Yeah, let’s explore an us.”

_…fini…_


End file.
